St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-24
HOW HE ESCAPED.
A Survivor of the Richmond Hotel
Fire at Buffalo Tells Ris Story.

Fire at Buffalo Tells His Story.
Special to the Globe.
BUFFALO, N. Y, March 23.-Geerge +
Michael, of New York. one of the survivors
of the Richmond fire, who has been at the
Sisters of Charity hospital, to-day related to
your correspondent this thrilling story of
his escape: II arrived at the Richmond
thursday noon last, and was assigned TO room
IA on the third floor. | did not so to bed
untlI alter midnight, rs number of us boys
were having a chat down in the gentlemen's
sitting room, adjoining the office. was first
awakened by the continuous ringing of the
electric bell in my room, and l really think
mat saved my life. / realized in an instant
what was the matter. and could see the
smoke curling along the ceiling of my bed
room. | got up as quickly as possible and
put on my pants, vest and overcoat. The
heat by this time had become oppressive, and
l opened the door and rushed out into the
hallway. The flames were roaring and burst
ing up the stairway. All means of escape
down stairs ere cut off. The sight of the
roaring flames was grand. | can see them
now when l close my eyes. The flames
reached me twice before l could get
AWAY, Scorching my hair and eye
browS rs you can See. | rushed back
into side hall leading 70 the south side of
the hotel. Here found two men looking out
OF the window TO see what chances they had
10 escape. l looked ont and saw a heavy
electric wire that led down over st. James
hall l reached out over the window sill,
grabbed the wire, swung out and suspended
to the cable started hand over hand for the
museum. l had nearly reached the building
when two other men noticed how well was
getting along and grabbed the wire and
swung out TOO. The strain was too much, the
cable parted and
DOWN WE FELL
thirty feet into the space between the
museum and the RichmOnds walls. 1t was
fearful in the alley but we could see each
other occasionally by the glaring light and
burning cinderS that fell around us like hail
stones. was stunned for moment and had
no use of my left ankle or right arm and
suffered intense pain from the conclusion on
my back. / saw the fellow nearest to me get
up and go toward side window in the
museum and called out TO him to help me as
l was crippled. My impression is that he did
but l can't remember distinctly, was so
dazed. | remember hearing the third man
groan. and shall never forget it as long as l
live. | believe he was killed by falling. The
next thing l remember was in the theater
building. climbed up some narrow stairs
on my hands and knees and slid down the
scenery on to the stage. The flames were
now bursting through the roof of the build
ing and the smoke was almost suffocating. L
could no; stand on my feet, but crawled to
the floor of the auditorium ana to the outside
doors of the theater. They were both locked.
l was so weak and suffered so much pain that
] felt like lying down and giving up. But
then life was dear 70 me and l concluded to
make one more struggle. l called for help.
but no one heard me. The flames had now
caught in the scenery on the stage and were
burning fiercely. | crawled up over the
chairs to a side window in the theaIer and
yelled to the firemen. They came to my res
cue in hurry and l was soon carried across
Washington street to the Eagle hotel. After
the struggle was over l could not move a
muscle. I had made great struggle for life
and WOn''